Newly disclosed court records have revealed that FBI investigators tested DNA from a second teenage male before arresting Timothy Hudson in connection with the death of 18-year-old Florida woman Anna Kepner, Hudson’s stepsister, aboard a Carnival cruise ship. The records provide additional details about how federal investigators developed their case and why prosecutors say DNA evidence became a key factor in Hudson’s arrest.
A February federal detention hearing reviewed by People states investigators collected DNA from a juvenile passenger identified in court records as “Minor Witness 2.” Prosecutors said the teenager had a brief romantic encounter with Kepner during the cruise but had no prior relationship with her or her family.
